Duke University

What is the history of Duke University?

Duke University is a private research university in Durham, North Carolina, whose roots reach back to a small school established in 1838 in Randolph County. The institution became Trinity College in 1859, moved to Durham in 1892, and took the Duke University name in 1924.

The 1924 change followed the creation of the Duke Endowment by industrialist James B. Duke. Its funding supported a much larger university, including the development of West Campus and the expansion of graduate and professional education. Duke's Methodist roots remain visible in its history, Divinity School, and chapel, but its academic programs serve students of many religious backgrounds and none.

What are the faculties and departments at Duke University?

Duke's undergraduates generally enroll in either Trinity College of Arts & Sciences or the Pratt School of Engineering. Trinity spans the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences; Pratt offers engineering fields including biomedical, civil, electrical and computer, environmental, and mechanical engineering.

The university also includes the Graduate School, Divinity School, Fuqua School of Business, School of Law, School of Medicine, School of Nursing, Nicholas School of the Environment, and Sanford School of Public Policy. Those schools offer graduate and professional credentials, but not every course or degree they teach is open to undergraduates. An applicant interested in a particular field should distinguish an undergraduate major from a graduate program with a similar name.

Undergraduates can combine coursework across disciplines, pursue research with faculty, and explore fields such as computer science, economics, public policy, neuroscience, and the arts. Degree requirements and access to particular courses depend on the student's school and program.

What is the location of Duke University?

Duke's main campus is in Durham, part of North Carolina's Research Triangle region. Its West, East, and Central Campus areas are connected by university transportation; first-year residential life is centered on East Campus, while many upper-level academic facilities are on West Campus.

Durham offers hospitals, employers, arts venues, and other colleges within reach of campus. Students should nevertheless account for travel between campus areas and the availability of transit when planning classes, jobs, or off-campus housing. Raleigh-Durham International Airport is the principal nearby airport for trips farther afield.

What is the mission and vision of Duke University?

Duke describes its mission in terms of education, research, and service. Its stated aims include developing students' intellectual abilities, advancing knowledge, and applying scholarship to problems beyond the university.

That purpose is reflected in its combination of undergraduate education, research activity, health professions, and public-service programs. Duke's historical Methodist association is part of its institutional identity, particularly through the Divinity School, but prospective students should evaluate the requirements of their own degree rather than assume a university-wide religious curriculum.